[caption id="attachment_64260" align="aligncenter" width="250"] text message snooping[/caption]Court rules on text messaging privacy issue

Just how much privacy does a person have when they are sending and receiving text messages? This is a question that most people could not answer with certainty. In Canada, the Supreme Court has made a ruling that gives people a sense of more privacy.

In a 5-2 decision, the court ruled that text messaging is not any different than a voice conversation and should receive the same privacy protection. When police agencies are conducting a criminal investigation, the court ruled that they would need special wiretap orders, just as they would have to do with voice conversations. In the past, police were able to intercept text messages with just a search warrant.

The beginning of this case started with a warrant that the Ontario Superior Court granted to the police. The police ordered the wireless phone carrier, Telus, to send them the text messages from two people every single day for two weeks. Telus argued the case but lost their initial bid.

Telus then appealed and had the Supreme Court rule in their favor. The ruling protects the privacy rights of cell phone customers in this digital age. This case is one of several privacy issue cases that have made the way to the high court recently. It should be expected that there will be many more during this age of electronic communication.

On The Web:

Supreme Court rules on police powers for snooping on text messages
http://www.news1130.com/2013/03/27/top-court-to-hear-arguments-over-search-and-seizure-of-computers-cellphones/